Football

Fermanagh GAA at a crucial juncture says Tomás Corrigan

Tom&aacute;s Corrigan hit nine points in Fermanagh's preliminary round win over Antrim<br />Picture by Seamus Loughran
Tomás Corrigan hit nine points in Fermanagh's preliminary round win over Antrim
Picture by Seamus Loughran
Tomás Corrigan hit nine points in Fermanagh's preliminary round win over Antrim
Picture by Seamus Loughran

THIS improving Fermanagh side will find themselves at “a crucial juncture” against Donegal on Sunday, says key forward Tomás Corrigan.

Over the last 18 months, the Ernemen have played their way into consideration when it comes to pondering who will lift the Anglo Celt Cup next month.

Their run to the All-Ireland quarter-final last year and subsequent solid National League displays have bolstered a belief that they have closed the gap on the province’s top sides.

However, they were well beaten last year by eventual champions Monaghan in an Ulster semi-final, and have yet to take a major Championship scalp against any of their northern rivals.

For Corrigan, who hit nine points in their preliminary round win over Antrim last month – including two particularly memorable efforts from the sideline – their meeting with five-in-a-row finalists Donegal is critical.

“We’re kind of at a juncture now, do we push on and become a force in Ulster or do we go down the qualifier route again? That’s the question that’s being posed to us, and it’s up to us to answer it on Sunday,” said the Kinawley native, who now plays his club football alongside the Brogan brothers at St. Oliver Plunkett’s in Dublin.

Their progression is bringing them up against new challenges at every turn and for Corrigan, this will be a first outing against the famed defensive phalanx constructed by Jim McGuinness and redecorated by Rory Gallagher.

“The role of a corner-forward has completely changed from five or six years ago. The long ball into a corner-forward, you might only get one or two a game,” said the 25-year-old.

“You have to do a lot more foraging than people think of a traditional corner-forward. That’s something forwards all around the country have had to bring to their games.

“It’ll be another step up on Sunday. Donegal are renowned for their tough tackling and their intensity in defence, so that’ll be a big challenge for us as a forward unit. It’s something we’ll be looking forward to.”

It’s ten years since the two counties met in Championship fare. At that time there was little to choose between them.

In recent years this Donegal side has won three Ulster titles and an All-Ireland, as well as playing on the third Sunday in September for a second time two years ago.

While there exist hopes of Ballybofey hosting the shock that would spark life into a drab Ulster Championship, Corrigan says Fermanagh will have to improve immeasurably on their second half display against Antrim.

“The over-riding feeling was that we were disappointed after the game. We felt that we didn’t perform at all in the second half. If Antrim had taken their chances in the first half, they’d have been a lot closer.

“The 0-9 to 0-2 scoreline [at half-time] was a wee bit deceiving. We had a lot to work on, but it was our first Championship game and we were favourites, and that’s not a position we’re used to.

“The last few weeks, we’ve been working hard to improve the areas that weren’t so good against Antrim.”

Corrigan has been based in the capital since last January, where he is halfway through the second of a two-year trainee solicitor contract with the Arthur Cox firm.

As a result, he travels up to Fermanagh for training on Tuesdays and Fridays, and does his gym work of his own accord in Dublin.

“Those long drives are a lot easier when the weather is good, the evenings are longer and when you’re winning games. At the minute, the drives are a lot more enjoyable than on those long, dark, wet nights in January and February."